Willmar, MN—The Stingers split with the Bismarck Larks in a double header after a postponement on Monday. Both games were seven innings with start times of 6:05pm and 8:40pm. The Stingers took the first game 5-3, then the Larks ran away with the second game 13-1. The Stingers are the Great Plains West Division First-Half Champions and clench a playoff berth with the win in game one.

Game 1: 5-3 Stingers

The Stingers picked up a much-needed win in the first game of the series. Polo Portela (Cumberland) was effective on the mound for the Stingers. He pitched six of the seven innings. Portela gave up three earned runs off eight hits. He allowed one walk while striking out five batters.

Sam Baier (Augustana) took the first pitch he saw and lifted it over the left-center fence. That was the third home run Baier has hit this season. 1-0 Stingers. The Larks answered with a home run of their own in the third tying the game up at 1-1. In the Stingers half of the third, it was Daniel Walsh (Sac City) that put the Stingers ahead with a double scoring Baier. 2-1 Stingers. Bismarck tied the game up, again, in the fifth when one run scored on three hits. 2-2 tied ballgame. The Stingers retook the lead in the sixth when Noah Haupt (New Mexico State) doubled scoring Bohning. Chase Stanke (Minnesota) scored next after a James Gamble (UNLV) single. Later in the inning, Gamble scored on a Baier base hit. 5-2 Stingers.

Aldo Fernandez (New Mexico State) came into pitch in the seventh for the Stingers with the bases loaded. One run scored while he was on the mound, but Fernandez held the Larks off for a Stingers victory. 5-3 Stingers.

Game 2: 13-1 Larks

The second game of the series was all Bismarck. Garret Rukes (Alabama) battled for the Stingers, pitching through four innings. He allowed five earned runs off eleven hits. Rukes did not allow a walk while striking out four Larks.

The Larks scored thirteen unanswered runs against the Stingers in Game 2. An outstanding pitching performance from the Larks, held the Stingers to three hits. Andrew Lucas (Northridge) got the first hit of the game in the bottom of the first inning. It wasn’t until the seventh inning that the Stingers got another hit. It was Noah Haupt (New Mexico State) that prevented the Stingers from getting shut out. His base hit scored Tyler Bosetti (Nevada) to bring the score to 13-1 in favor of the Larks.

Lucas and Walsh both made appearances on the mound for the Stingers. Andrew Lucas (Outfielder) pitched the sixth inning. He gave up five unearned runs off three hits. Lucas walked and struck out a batter in his first appearance. Daniel Walsh (Second baseman) pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Walsh retired three of the four batters he faced. The third batter of the inning reached on an error.

The Stingers fell to the Larks 13-1 in a forgettable second game. Willmar is back in action tomorrow in the Duluth to begin the second half of the season. First pitch is 6:35pm CT.